What makes a business environmentally friendly? Does it mean structurally, in the ways it interacts with customers, or how knowledgeable the employees are? Well, the Businesses for the Bay program has taken the lead in identifying ways in which businesses can partake in the restoration effort.

Run by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay since 2015, Businesses for the Bay encourages members to take action in five ways:

Businesses of all sizes can do something that makes an impact in their community, which in turn directly impacts the watershed. Ranging from large government contractors and food-processing companies to coffee roasters and native plant nurseries, members cover a wide range of the business sector.

To be part of this program, businesses must complete at least one action that works towards the themes of the Watershed Agreement, pay member dues, comply or work toward compliance with applicable environmental regulations and submit annual metrics.

There are many ways businesses can meet membership requirements and their own environmental goals together. For example, MOM’s Organic Market runs a carbon offset program in which they offset carbon emissions for each customer’s commute to their store. Mobjack Coffee Roasters uses the bags from their coffee beans to make dog beds to donate to local shelters. Other ways business can get involved include:

About Kaitlyn Dolan – Kaitlyn Dolan is a recent graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology where she studied photojournalism and received a minor in social inequalities. Her capstone work focused on the revival and preservation of Onondaga Iroquois traditions. Growing up in New England, Kaitlyn formed an appreciation for the environment at an early age while spending time outdoors with her father. A PADI rescue diver, Kaitlyn is currently working towards her master diver certification. She is a lover of yoga, plants, dogs and tea.